Method and machine for extracting



July 18, 1950 E. c. KAsTNER Re. 23,249

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR EXTRACTING AIR BAGS Original Filed May l, 1946 4 Sheets-She-zer l aLi/MJWM Mq. 1 fyrazfvfrs E: C. KASTNER `uly 18, 1950 METHOD AND MACHINE FOR EXTRACTING AR BAGS 4 Sheets-Sheen? 2 Original Filed May 1. 1945 u, .FE

July 18, 1950 E. c. KAsTNER METHOD AND MACHINE FOR EXTRACTING AIR BAGS Original Filed May l, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheer 5 INVENTOR. 50W/WP C. 9577/5? BY July 18, 1950 E. c. KASTNER Re. 23,249

mamon AND MACHINE FOR Exmc'rmc. AIR BAGS Original Filed )lay l. 1946 l 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 T 90e A 90e Ei -5 "w J j 5 j v L 3 l /02 /02 202 /a/ raf /a/ fof I l f fa |;Ea| amel EL.

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l- 1 /f //5 fo 6 INVENTOIL Trag/KEYS Ressued July 18, 1950 METHOD AND MACHINE FOR EXTRACTING y AIR BAGS l Edward C. Kastner, Akron, Ohio, assignor to Akron Standard Mold Company, Akron, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Original No. 2,477,301, dated July 26, 1949, Serial No. 666,267, May 1, 1946. Application for reissue February 14, 1950, Serial No. 144,051

18 Claims. (Cl. 18-2) y Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in the original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue This invention relates to a method and machine for removinglthe air bag ,from a newly vulcanized tire. v

' [This invention relates to air bag extracting machines and is in the nature of an improvement over that shown in patent application Serial No. 654,770, filed by me on March 15, 1946, and entitled Method and machine for extracting air bags.]

yThe air bag upon which the machine of that invention and the machine of the present invention are designed to operate is the usual device in the nature of an inner tube which is inserted into a partially cured tire casing when the latter is put into a vulcanizing mold. The air bag is there inflated under pressure to vforce the casing outwardly against the mold members. When lthe tire is subsequently withdrawn from the mold, the air bag must be removed to enable the succeeding manufacturing operations on the tire.

To remove the air bag it must ilrst be forced radially inwardly through the gap between the two bead rims of the tire and then withdrawn axially through the circular opening defined by one of the bead rims. In the performance of ythis operation, heretofore, a localized portion of 4the air bag was forced radially inwardly past the bead rims and then engaged by an extractor of some form. The extractor pulled the air bag from thetire, a kink being formed in the air bag at either side, where it was forced to bend Aover the kbead rim.` Although made of rubber lor rubber-like composition, the bag is exceedingly stiff and resistant when kinked and can easily `cause a .permanent distortion of the bead rim, and, in many cases while being dragged from jthe tire, has actually pulled the plies away from the tire wall. The likelihood of damage is es- .pecially serious in the case of truck tires where a. large and bulky air bag must be withdrawn .through an opening of small diameter.

[In my former invention, above-mentioned, I .provided a method and a machine for removing such an air bag ina safe land effective manner. There the bead rims were pulled apart axially to provide easy egress of the air bag and, .after one portion of `the tire tread was forced radially inwardly to produce the first bulge in the air bag for engagement by the extractor, other portions of the tread were pressed inwardly progressively around the tire to free more and more of the bag from the confinement of the beads. In

`.this manner the extractor operated only upon al- -ready freed portions of the air bag. Prevention a5 Fig. 3, andFig.. 6 is a valve and piping diagram.

oil mutilation ofthe air bag and the tire rim were thus assured] [In the former invention, the progressive pressing of the tire tread was obtained by means of a roller which was forced in an arcuate path about the tire by a suitable mechanical linkage.

`The present invention supplants the mechanical linkage bya pneumatic system having a minimum number of moving parts and. adaptedto be controlled in a simpleJ and automatic manner] An obj ect of the present invention is to provide a machine for removing air bags from tires, especially truck tires, without deforming the bead `portion or injuring the adjacent plies.

To accomplish this object, a support for the tire is furnished which grips the bead rims and pulls them axiallyapart, and means are provided to press radially inwardly on the treadY of the tire to force. a portion of .the airbag through the gap between. the beads to a position where it may-be engaged by a power operated hook.

A series of air cylinders is placed radially about easy withdrawal.

Another object of this invention is to provide suitable automatic valves whereby each of the plungers is actuated at the proper time during 'the withdrawal operation to free its corresponding portion of the air bag.

A further object is to provide means whereby the machine may be adapted to various sizes oi tires. y

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent by the following specification and claims andthe appended drawings.

In the drawings, Figpl is a fragmentary front elevational view of a tire air bag removing machine embodying my invention, showing a, portion of the tire supporting mechanism swung to tire-receiving position; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the plane 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the plane 3--3 of Fig. 1 and illustrating a tire in place and an air bag being removed therefrom; Fig. 4 is an end elevational View of the extractor air cylinder and the valve assembly associated therewith; Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the plane 5 5 of In the drawings, I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention in the form of a machine for removing air bags` from truck tires. A brief preliminary description of the machine as a whole will first be given, followed by a more:-

detailed treatment of some of thel parts..

A main frame, indicated generally at I0, car-v ries a hinged support at upon which the tire T with its enclosed air bag B is placed asit comes from the vulcanizer. 'I'he hinged'support includes a chuck which engages one of the bead rims of the tire. 'I'he tire is then manually swung into the machine, to the broken line position T of Fig. 3, where it is engaged by'a second chuck which grips the other bead rim. A power device (Fig. 2) then separates the two chucks to open the gap between the bead rims, stretching the tire to the form shown in full' lines at T in Fig. 3. With the tire in this position, an air cylinder 6U then acts upon the tread of the tire to bow it radially inwardly at T" Ate produce an inward bulge in the air bag. A hook 1D is then manually placed on the bulge and an air cylinder 80 is energized tol pull the hook and withdraw the air bag.

A plurality of airV cylinders 90 are mountedv in the machine in a circular array about'the tire position and radially aligned with the latter. Corresponding cylinders at' opposite sides ,of the tire are connected in pairs and each pair is provided with an air valve |00. The valves are mounted ina row on thehookcylinder 80 and are adapted to be actuated by an abutment IIB carried by the hook. The plungers of the air cylinders 9U are normally retracted but as the hook .withdraws the airbag the abutment engages each valve in succession, and each pair of air cylinders is actuated in. succession to eject a further portion of the air bag from. behind the bead rim When the top pair ofaircylinders has been operated', the airbag is4 completely freed from the tire and the air bag falls at therear of. the machine or upon an appropriate conveyor, if. desired. As the abutment H0. passes beyond each valve inV succession, the plungers of the corresponding air cylinders return to retracted position, spaced from the tire tread. Thus, after be- .ing freed of its air bag, the tire may be removed from the machine by releasing the pressure device 50 and then the rear chuck 40, and then, after the support 2l! has been swung to its open position, releasingthe chuck .3I1.

Referring to the. various parts in a more detailed manner, the main frame |ll comprises chiefly a base Il, afrontwall I2, a, rear wall I3, and tie members I4.

The swinging tire support 20 comprises an arm 2| pivoted on a bracketl 22 carried by the front wall I2, andz an annular head 23 pivoted at 24 on the arm. In the; openposition, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the head 23 is swung back against the arm and thus exposes its inner face. A stop member 25 (Fig. 2) is provided on the arm to prevent. the headfrom swinging in a closing direction more than a predetermined amount relative to the arm. and isf thus adapted' to transmit theA force of' the pressure device 5l!V to the head for the bead stretching operation.

The front and rear bead chucks 30 and 40 and the bead stretching mechanism 50'y are the same as those illustrated and described in my former patent' application referredr to. Briefly, each of the chucks comprises: three swinging jaws 3l in the form of curved plates. having outwardly N turned lips 32. The jaws are carried by pivoted arms, 33 and are actuated by radially sliding bars 34. lAn annular cam plate 35 isy provided with three spiral cam slots, each of which coacts with a cam follower on the corresponding sliding bar.

Rotation of the cam plate thus collapses the chuck or expands it into secure engagement with the tire bead rim. The cam plate 35 of the front chuck is provided with a handle 3B, while the rear vchuckcam plate 35' carries a gear segment 3-1' which may be turned by a pinion 38 and a hand.y wheel 39. Cylindrical members 4I and 42, carried by the swinging head 23 and the rear frame. wall I3 respectively, support the pivots for the swinging jaws and provide ample openings through which the operator may reach to manipulatethe hook and through which the air bag maybe withdrawn.

With the tire supported and clamped on the front chuck, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, it is then swung into the frame, through an opening 45 in the front wall, and engaged by the rear chuck. The power device 50, which then separated the two chucks to stretch the bead rims apart may comprisey simply an air cylinder mountedeither on*` the front wall of the machine, as illustrated in Fig. 2or upon the swinging arm 2+. In the rst case, the plunger presses against the arm to swing it outwardly, and in the second case pressesl against, thel wall with the. same resuit;

While the tire has the stretched configuration, shownat -T .in Fig. 3, it is less rigid in a radial direction than before. Advantage is taken of this tact Vby pressinginwardlyon the tread portion te eject the air bag from behind the bead rims. Election of the air bag is initiated by localized pressure on thetire tread to cause a single inwardbulge of the air. bag., This localized pressure. mayv conveniently. be obtained by means of a. pneumatic cylinderfG mounted'below the tire positionand provided with a` plunger El having an ,enlarged` head 62. The cylinder ispreferably. .or the. ldouble-acting type, so that the plunger may be positively withdrawn, andA is under control of a two-way valve 65, as. illustrated in the diagram ofV Fig. 6. Air pressure is constantly supplied. to the lfeed line F during the op.-

to the atmosphere through'the conduit 64 and thence through the valve.

When` the operator has caused the tire to be stretched, as aforesaid, he then operates the. valve to energize the cylinder 6D. This may be done in a simple manner by means of a control cylinder (firwhich may be momentarily energized by means of a. valve 61. within easy reach of the operator. The plunger ofthe cylinder 66v may rock a vpivoted arml B8 andthus move inwardly the plunger of. the valve 65. With the latter plunger in its inward position, communication is afforded between the air pressure supply F and the space below the plunger 6| through the conduit 64 and the space above the plunger piston exhausts to the atmosphere through the valve. The valve 61 may be in the nature of a push button device for momentary actuation, because the valve 65, when depressed, is maintained in that condition by the abutment III) as will later be described.

Y-When the cylinder 60 causes the plunger to deform the tire tread, the lower portion of the 5. air' bagk B is bowed upwardly beyond the kbead rims R. where it may be engaged by the hook 1U. The hook comprises a curved arm 1I having a slightly rearwardly directed free end 'I2 for positive engagement with the lair bag. The hook is rigidly carried by an elongated piston rod I3 extending forwardly from the air cylinder 80. The cylinder is mounted by means of trunnions BI on a framework 82 secured to the base Il. A rocking motion of the cylinder is thus allowed, to enable the operator to lift the hook over the air bag. The rocking motion may be limited by stops 83 to thereby maintain the hook in the operating region. The hook is provided with a handle 84 for manual placement into proper engagement with the air bag.

The additional air cylinders 90, previously mentioned, may be identical with the cylinder BU and may conveniently be carried' by Ichannel members 9| mounted between the front and rear Walls of the frame. The cylinders are connected in pairs beginning with the pair 90A, Fig. 6, adjacent the cylinder EI) and progressing through SIIB and 90C, to the pair 90D at the top of the ma chine.

As Shown in the diagram of Fig. 6, each pair of cylinders is provided with suitable conduits and with a valve which may be identical with that of `65. That is, each valve is in communication, at IIII and I02, with the inner and outer ends of its pair of cylinders respectively, and has an air pressure inlet III3. The latter is normally in communication with the conduit IUI to retract the plungers, but may be placed in communica.n tion with the conduit I02, instead, to force the plungers against the tire tread when the valve is actuated. f

The abutment III), which actuates the row of valves, comprises a cam bar I I I pivctally carried by parallel links on a block II2. The block is adlustably clamped to a rod IIS and the rod is carried by the hook 'III and guided for longitudinal sliding in appropriate bearings. Thus, as the hook is drawn by its air cylinder to extract the air bag, the abutment is moved past each of the valves in succession. As the abutment is moved to the right in Fig. 6, the cam bar II I, which is maintained against a stop H4 by a light spring II5, cams the plungers of the valves inwardly and then allows them to snap outwardly just prior to its engagement with the succeeding valves.

During the return travel of the abutment, as the hook is returned toward the machine forthe start of a succeeding cycle, the cam bar III is swung idly downwardly by engagement with the valve plungers, and, when the abutment reaches its forward limit position sho-wn in dotted lines at IIIJ", the cam bar is maintained in its depressed position by the relatively stronger return ispring of the valve E5. However, when the valve 65 is actuated by a momentary opening of the valve 61. the spring II5 is allowed to return the cam bar I I I to its extended position and actuation of the valve B5 is thus continued despite a subsequent closing of the valve G'I.

In an operating cycle of the machine, after the tire has been mounted and spread as before described, and with the hook 'I0 in its normal idle position extending part way through the cylindrin cal member 42, the operator momentarily opens the valve BI. The lower portion of the air bag is thus bowed upwardly by the cylinder 6I) and is there maintained due to the action of the exn tended cam bar I I I on the valve 55.

The operator then grasps the hook 10 and lifts it forwardly'over the air bag and opens, and leaves open, a valve, not shown, which supplies air to the forward end of the air cylinder 80. 'I'he hook is thereby drawn at a moderate rate of speed and, by placing tension upon the air bag, prevents its return into the tire.

The action thenceforth is entirely automatic. As the hook pulls upon the air :bag the abutment III! soon leaves the valve E5 and the lower cylinder allows the tire tread to return to normal position. Immediately thereafter, however, the abutment engages the succeeding valve and the lower pair of cylinders A are energized to press their plungers against the next succeeding regions of the tire tread. The parts at this time are in the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Sufficient additional air bag is thus fed to the withdrawing hook to allow it to pass from behind and bend around the bead rim without injury thereto. In this manner, as the hook moves farther andfarther from the tire, more and more of the air bag is released from the bead rims by the successive pairs of cylinders until, as the abutment passesbeyond the last valve IIIU, the air bag is completely released from the tire and drops from the hook.

The operator then actuates the valve, not shown, which controls the air cylinder 80, to direct air pressure to the rear end of the cylinder and thus to return the hook to its idle position ready for the next cycle. It will be understood that, if desired, a further valve may be provided which, upon actuation by the abutment III! at the end of its stroke, would effect this reversal of movement of the hook.

It will be noted that the bead chucks, in their radial movement, may accommodate various diameters of bead rims, and that, since the amount of deformation of the tire tread is not critical in the proper ejection of the air bag, various outer diameters of tire treads may be accommodated.

Thus my invention provides a machine which is rugged and simple in form and which will remove air bags in a safe and expeditious manner from tires of varying size. While I have described a specific embodiment it will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of my invention. It will be seen, for example, that various forms of supporting devices may be used to grip and separate the bead rims of the tire, and that equivalent forms of power actuated devices may be substituted for the air cylinders to effect successive deformations of the tire tread.

I claim:

l. In a machine for removing an air bag from a tire having bead rims and a tread, a plurality of operating members, means for operating said members successively to deform successive regions of the tread and to thereby eject successive portions of the air bag from between the bead rims, and mechanism adapted to engage the air bag after' a portion thereof has .been diverted inwardly to withdraw it as it is ejected.

2. In a machine for removing an air bag from a tire having bead rims and a tread, a pressure device adapted to deform a, localized region of the tread to bow inwardly beyond the bead rims a portion of the air bag, a member adapted to engage the bowed-in portion of the air bag, mechanism for operating said member to place tension on the air bag axially of the tire, a pair of pressure devices adjacent the first-named device to deform regions of the tread at either side of the rst-named region to thereby bow inwardlvA adjacent portions of the" air bag, and further `successive pairs of pressure devices and means operating said pressure devices successively to.- deform the tread to complete the removal of the air bag.

3. In a machine for removing an air bag from a. tire having bead rims and a tread, means for bowing in a localized portion of` the air bag, a member adapted` to engage the localized portion and mechanism for operating it to withdraw it axially from the tire, a plurality of pressure devicesv adapted to deform regions of the tread to eject the air bag beyond the bead rims, and means for operating the pressure devices suc'- cessively in timed relationship with the withdrawal of the air bag whereby successive portions of the air bag are ejected inwardly beyond the bead rim at the time when they are bentv around the beadl rim to pass from the tire.

4. In a machine for removing an air bag fromk a tire having a bead rim and a tread, a. plurality of deforming devices each adapted to deform a region ofthe tread toY eject a portion of the air bag inwardly beyond the bead rim, an extractor adapted to engage the air bag and to move from the tire, a, plurality of controlling devices to determine the operation. of the deforming devices, and means moved by the extractor into successive engagements with the controlling devices whereby the deforming devices are operated successively at therespectively proper times to eject portions of the air bag which are being bent about thezbeadv rim by the movement of the extractor.

5. In a machine for removing an air bag from a tire having beadrims and a tread, a plurality yond the bead rims, means for applying fluid L pressure to the plungers independently of each other to operate them in succession, and means for engaging the air bag to pull it from the tire asit is ejected.

6. In a machine for removing an air bag from a. tire having bead rims and a tread, a plurality of fluid pressure cylinders in circular array, a plunger in each cylinder adapted to force radially inwardly a portion of the tire tread to eject a portion of the air bag beyond the bead rim', a first cylinder in said array, pairs of cylinders comprising cylinders substantially .equidistant from the iirst cylinder, means for applying uid pressure independently to the first cylinder and to the adjacent pairs of cylinders to operate them in succession, and means for withdrawing the air bag from the tire as it is ejected beyond the bead rim.

V'7. 1n a machine for removing an air bag from a tire having bead rims and a tread, a plurality of deforming devices in circular array each adapted to deform a portion of the tread to eject a portion of the air bag inwardly beyond the bead rims, said plurality of devices including a irst device and pairs of devices, each member of each pair being substantially equi-distant from the rst device, a controlling means for the first-device, controlling means for each of said pairs, an extractor for withdrawing the air bag from the tire as it is ejected beyond the bead rims, and actuating means carried by the extractor to actuate in succession all of said controlling means.

8. In a machine for removing an air bag from a. tire having bead rims and a tread, a plurality of" fluid' pressure cylindersin circular array,r a.

plunger inv each cylinderv adapted to force ra.-i dlally inwardly a portion of thettire tread to eject a portion ofthe air bagl beyond the bead rims, said plurality of fluid pressure cylinders including a first cylinder and pairs of cylinders, eachA member of each pair being substantially equi-distant from theiirst cylinder, valve means for controllingthe fluid pressure for the rst cylinder, valve means for each of said pairs of cylinder-s, an extractor for withdrawing the air bag from the tire as it is ejected beyond the bead rims, and actuating means moving in unison with the extractor to actuate in succession all of said' valve means.

9. A method of removing an air bag from d tire comprising, bulging radially inwardly a localized region of the tire to thereby bow in a portion4 of the air bag, thereafter exertingl continued pressure onfthe bowed-in portion of the dir bag in a direction generally axially of the tireand during the application of such pressure bulging inwardly further localized regions of the tire. v

10.A method of removing an air bag from a tire comprising, bulging radially inwardly a localized region of the tire to thereby bow in a p0rtionof the air bag, exerting continued pressure on the bowed-in portion of the air bag in d direction generally axially of the tire, and bulging inwardly further-` localizedregions progressively around the tire, and allowing each bulged region of the tire to resume'its` unstressed' shape as its neighboring region is stressed in turn.

11'. A method of removing an air blug from a tire. comprising, bulging radially inwardly a locdlieedv region of the tire to thereby bow in a portion of the air bag, thereafter exerting continued pressure on the bowed-in portion of the air bag in a direction generally axially of the tire, and during the application of such pressure bulging inwardly further localized regions progressively around the tire simultaneously from both sides ,of the first named localized region..

12. A method of removing an air bug from a tire comprising, bulging radially inwardly a localieed region of they tire to thereby bow in d portion of the air bag, exerting continued pressure on the bowed-in portion in a direction generdllyy axially .of the tire, dnd bulgingv inwardly further lociglieed regions progressively around the tire simultaneously from both sides of the first namedl localized region, and allowing each bulged region of the tire to resume its unstressed shape as its neighboring region is stressed in turn.

13. The method of removing an air bag from a tirehaving bead rims and a trelad comprising, axially separating the bead rims to allow passage of the air bag therebetween and to reduce the radial rigidity of the tread portion, bulging radially inwardly a localized region of the tread to thereby-bow in d portion of the air bag, thereafter exerting continued pressure on the bowed-in portion .of the air bag in a direction generally axially of the tire, and following the initiation of such pressure bulging inwardly further localized regions of the tread progressively around the tire.

14. The method of removing an air bug from a tire having bead rims and a tread comprising, axially separlating the bead rims to allow passage of the air bag therebetween and to reduce the radial rigidity of the tread portion, bulging radially inwardly a localized region of the tread to thereby bow in a portion of the lair bug, exerting continued pressure on the bowed-in portion of the cir bag in a direction generally axially of the tire, and bulging inwardly further localized regions of' the tread progressively around the tire, and allowing each bulged region to resume its unstressed shape as its neighboring region is stressed in turn.

15. The method of removing an air bag from a tire having bead rims and a tread comprising, axially separating the bead rims to allow passage of the air bag therebetween and to reduce the radial rigidity of the tread portion, bulging radially inwardly a localized region of the tread to thereby bow in a portion of the air bag, thereafter exerting continued pressure on the bowed-in portion of the air bag in a direction generally bulg ing inwardly further localized regions of the tread progressively around the tire, simultaneously from both sides of the first named localized region.

16. The method of removing an air bag from a tire having bead rims and a 'tread comprising, axially separating the bead rims to allow passage of the air bag therebetween and to reduce the radial rigidity of the tread portion, bulging radially inwardly a localized region of the tread to thereby bow in a portion of the air bag, exerting continued pressure on the bowed-in portion o f the air bag in a direction generally aially of the tire, and bulging inwardly further localized region progressively around the tire simultaneously from both sides of the first named localized region, and allowing each bulged region of the tread to resume its unstressed shape as its neighboring region is stressed in turn.

17. In a machine for removing an air bag ,from a tire having a tread, pressure means to bulge inwardly successive regions of the tread to eject successive portions of the air bag, and means adapted to engage the air bag after the first inward bulge and to axially withdraw it during the subsequent inward bulging.

18. In a machine for removing an air bag from a tire having a tread, means to bulge a single region of the tread radially inwardly to thereby produce a bowed-in portion of the air bag, pressure means to thereafter bulge inwardly successive regions of the tread to eject successive portions of the air bag, and means adapted to engage the first bowed-in portion and to axially withdraw the air bag while the said pressure means is effecting a subsequent inward bulging.

EDWARD C. KASTNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent or the original patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,683,736 Snyder Sept. 11, 1928 1,738,504. Stevens Dec. 3, 1929 1,853,146 Prentice et a1 Apr. 12, 1932 2,241,807 Cotner May 13, 1941 2,244,162 Leguillon June 3, 1941 

